While the houndstooth brigade at David Jones will stick to the tried-and-tested champagne and runway show, Myer is launching its top-end collection with an exclusive sit-down dinner at Barangaroo for 100 fashion industry figures and insiders.

Instead of a traditional runway, the "show" will feature a series of "fashion movements" from top fashion houses including Maticevski, By Johnny, and international brands.

Cat McNeil and David Jones ambassadors Jessica Gomes and Montana Cox with dancers from the Sydney Dance Company in the new-season campaign.

Photo: David Jones

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And why have just one launch when you can have three?

Myer will follow its Sydney soiree with a more "consumer friendly" launch in Melbourne on March 10, featuring its Australian contemporary brands, as well as in-store parades on March 11.

It's a change in direction that Daniel Bracken, deputy CEO of Myer, says will extend and deliberately slow the pace of the unveiling of the new season's range.

"It's about showing that we don't just have designer and lifestyle [brands]. We have a broad offer from a pricing and fashion perspective that fills out all the requirements of our key customer groups," he said.

"We have had a major focus on getting the right brands in to our stores ... building wonderful in-store experiences and really reshaping the perception of Myer in the market."

During the next few months, Myer will see an explosion of activity, starting this week with the first Mimco concession at Bondi – the first of several mini-stores for the accessories brand to open nationally during the next 10 days.

Rethinking the runway: Jennifer Hawkins in Alex Perry at Myer's launch event in August 2015.

Photo: Dallas Kilponen

Myer was also on Monday announced as a partner of the 20th Melbourne Fashion Festival, which will be held next month..

Other new brands joining the Myer stable this year include TY-LR, Finders Keepers and British giant Topshop, which will appear as "shops within shops" at several Myer stores throughout Australia.

Sizzling: Jesinta Campbell at David Jones' 2015-16 summer launch.

Photo: Getty Images

Aurelio Costarella, known for its statement gowns, will jump ship from Myer to David Jones and will join other new labels including Aussie export Tome, New Zealand cult label Zambesi, See By Chloe and Marni.

David Jones, whose summer launch in August created a splash with model and AFL WAG Jesinta Campbell strutting her rocking figure in a monochrome bikini, will feature Vogue cover girl Catherine McNeil. McNeil, whose career launched after winning Girlfriend magazine's model search, has walked for international brands including Balenciaga, Dior and Valentino.

On Monday, David Jones announced Campbell would become a full-time ambassador for the brand, following the footsteps of Miranda Kerr and Megan Gale.

Brian Walker, analyst and CEO of Retail Doctor, said the launches were the beginning of a five-year transformation of Australia's department-store culture.

"The [physical] shop is only part of the battlefield now. Their ability to build great events and stories and then deliver that in terms of the customer experience [is critical]," he said.

He said consumers should expect smaller stores, the return of food as a major focus and more examples of "experiential retail".

The David Jones winter campaign has the store join forces with the Sydney Dance Company, with a 90-second movie featuring McNeil and David Jones ambassadors Jessica Gomes and Montana Cox striking their best dancers pose on a revolving podium to the tune of Disclosure's When a Fire Starts to Burn.

The collaboration continues the fashion-meets-the-arts direction for the store, which last year teamed up with ex-Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns for its summer campaign.

The partnership with the Sydney Dance Company is about "movement and self-expression, a meeting of two great brands [that] are really energetic beautiful and creative", says Donna Player, David Jones director of merchandise.

She said the dark, moody, mirrored shots in the "look book" were designed to "amplify the beautiful dance and create the idea you could see the garments from the front and the back". The look will be recreated for Wednesday night's launch, to be held at the Sydney store's On Seven event space for several hundred media, designers and David Jones VIPs.